by Marla Monroe
“You shouldn’t have messed with our things, Kayley. That’s our business, and if we lost something, it could lead to a serious problem. I realize you were just trying to help, but next time, ask first. Okay?” Billy cupped her cheek with his hand.
“I will. I promise. I’m so sorry.”
“Craig showed me how easy it is to find things in the stacks. I appreciate it. Maybe we can talk about setting up some type of system that will be easy for us to do. Just don’t go taking anything on yourself like that again without first consulting us. Okay?”
“I won’t. I’ll ask you first.”
“I’m hungry,” Billy said with a smile. “What about you?”
“I could eat.” She smiled, relieved that all was forgiven.
“I don’t suppose this earns me a blowjob like the one you gave Craig, does it?” Billy asked with a smirk.
Chapter Fifteen
By Friday, Kayley had a new computer system up and running with all the bells and whistles. The most recent inventory list had been entered, and all of their work orders were now filed in the computer so that all parts used subtracted from the inventory. They had their expenses logged as well as income. Now all they had to do to know where they stood was print out a report on anything from parts that needed ordering to a list of customers who owed them payments.
She’d gone over everything with them several times, but she had a feeling they would need someone to keep it up for them. They could do it if they chose to, but it just wasn’t something they wanted to do. As they liked to tell her, they fixed engines of any kind, but they didn’t do clerical work.
She’d just packed up her computer when Craig walked in. He’d already cleaned up, wearing his grease free T-shirt. With a wide smile, he pulled her in for a hug and scorching kiss.
“How are you doing, kitten? Ready to go home?” he asked.
“I’m looking forward to a nice, hot bath. Bea wants me to come over tonight.”
Craig frowned. “I don’t know, Kayley. It really isn’t safe for you to be out and about like that.”
Billy walked in as Craig was voicing his concerns. He frowned at her. “Out and about where? Who?”
“Bea wants me to come over tonight for a few hours to visit. Sam will be there. I’ll be safe. Please?” She batted her eyes and poked her lips out in her best pout.
Billy just rolled his eyes at her. “I don’t think it’s a good idea, baby girl. You’re safer at home with us.”
“I need some girl time. I miss Bea. Please. You can drop me off and pick me back up in a couple of hours. Just a few hours, Billy. Please?”
He scowled at her then glared at Craig. “You put her up to that girl time talk, didn’t you?”
Craig laughed and held his hands up. “Swear to God I didn’t. I don’t like it any more than you do.”
Billy’s mouth tightened into a straight line. He was considering it, she could tell. She smiled up at him, running her hands up his chest to rest on his shoulders. The tense play of muscles beneath her hands relaxed, and he sighed.
“Fine. But only for a couple of hours, and you can’t go anywhere other than her house. If they need to go somewhere, you call us, and we’ll come get you. Promise me, Kayley.”
“I promise. I won’t go anywhere. All we are going to do is gossip and talk girl stuff.” Kayley clapped her hands together with excitement.
As much as she loved being with the guys, she missed her friend. Even though they had talked on the phone, it wasn’t the same thing as being together. She couldn’t wait to get home so she could bathe and get ready. Home? When had she started thinking of their house as home? That was dangerous. It wasn’t really her home. She had a home in town. This was temporary, no matter how often they made it sound like it was more. She knew their reputation. They didn’t stick with one woman for more than two weeks. With her track record with Billy, she expected that the instant the threat to her was over, she’d be out the door.
Later, as she lay soaking in the decadent tub with her favorite bath salts and a scented candle burning, Kayley allowed herself to think about it some more. How was she going to handle moving on after this was over? She couldn’t hide it from herself that she was falling in love with them. Hell, she was already half in love with them before they’d even had sex. Now, she was totally smitten, addicted, and in over her head.
Face it, Kayley. When this is over and I’ve been given my marching papers, it’s going to hurt, and hurt bad.
She blew out a breath and prayed she would be able to move on and accept that she just wasn’t their type. Besides, she and Billy definitely had issues. He liked to boss her around, and she liked to fight him on it.
With a smile, she climbed out of the tub and dried off. Normally she waited for one of the men to come help her out and pat her dry. That usually led to some screwing around that she totally enjoyed, but tonight she wanted to hurry.
As she walked out of the bathroom, Craig walked into the bedroom. He frowned at her.
“What are you doing out already? I was coming to help you, kitten.”
“That’s okay. I was ready to get out and get dressed. I’m excited about visiting with Bea. Something’s up with her, and I want to be sure she’s okay.” Kayley pulled on a pair of pale yellow panties then searched for the matching bra.
It wasn’t in the drawer. In fact, none of her bras were in the drawer where she’d put them. Frowning, she searched the entire dresser without success. Narrowing her eyes, she turned to Craig and crossed her arms. His eyes immediately followed her breasts, zeroing in on her nipples.
“Craig? Where are they?” she asked.
“Where are what?”
“My bras. What have you done with them?” She tapped her foot.
“Um, I didn’t do anything with them. Maybe you should talk to Billy about them.” He smiled, finally meeting her eyes.
Kayley wasn’t about to deal with Billy right then. She wanted to go to Bea’s house. She would suffer without a bra. The only people who would see her were the guys, Bea, and Sam. Sam didn’t count.
Pulling on a pair of jeans, she slipped into her sandals, then tossed on a T-shirt that would help hide her slight bounce. After brushing her hair and applying some lip gloss, she pronounced herself ready to go.
“Let’s go, Craig.” She smiled, blowing him a kiss.
Thirty minutes later, Billy pulled the big truck into Bea’s drive. He turned and kissed her.
“Did you make sure you have your phone in your purse?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Don’t go anywhere. Call us if they need to leave. We’ll come get you,” Billy reminded her.
“Yes, Dad. I promise,” she said, making a face.
“Don’t sass me, baby girl. I don’t want to let you go, but I figure with Sam there, you’ll be safe enough.” Billy squeezed her thigh then let Craig help her out of the cab.
“Be good, kitten. Call us when you’re ready to leave.” He kissed her soundly on the lips, then waved her toward the door.
She knew they would wait until she was safely in the house before they left. In fact, when she rang the doorbell and looked back, Craig was still standing outside the open truck door, watching her. Bea answered the door with a huge smile on her face.
“I’m so glad to see you. I’ve missed you, girl. Get in here.” She hugged Kayley, waving at the guys before closing the door and locking it. “Come on in the kitchen. I’m making sandwiches.”
“What kind?” Kayley asked, already anticipating cucumber since Bea knew it was her favorite.
“Cucumber, what else?” her friend asked with a grin. “What can I get you to drink?”
They sat and talked for the next hour, eating little sandwiches and drinking mint tea. Bea caught her up on the gossip from the beauty shop, and Kayley gave her the down and dirty version of her past few days with Billy and Craig.
“You’re kidding. Craig can cook that good? I’m impressed.” Bea loved to cook.
>
“The best thing about them is that they clean up after themselves. I mean really. The bathroom at the shop is almost spotless. The trash never overflows at their house. It’s amazing.” Kayley laughed.
“Tell me about setting up their computer. How did you talk them into that?” Bea asked.
Kayley smothered a smile as she told her friend about the mess she found that first morning and how she’d organized everything.
“Oh, my God! You should have seen Billy’s face. If I hadn’t known for sure that he wouldn’t hurt me, I would have run screaming from the building. He was livid,” she said.
Bea made her tell her more about the sex than she really wanted to divulge, but she was her friend and had allowed her to live vicariously through her escapades with Sam over the years. She stopped and looked around. She hadn’t seen Bea’s husband all evening. That was highly unusual. He would always sneak a couple of sandwiches and warn them to keep it clean.
“Bea? Where is Sam?” she asked.
“He’s giving us some quality time tonight. He went over to watch some fight on David’s big screen TV. It’s not like we don’t have a fifty-inch HD TV or anything. But he keeps telling me that David’s sixty-inch is so much bigger and better. Men.” Bea got up and pulled the tea pitcher from the fridge, refilling their glasses once more.
“So we’re the only ones here?” Kayley asked.
“Yeah. Isn’t it great? No noisy husband to interrupt us for a change.”
Kayley felt suddenly exposed for some reason. They were safely locked inside of Bea’s house, but without the reassuring presence of Sam, she felt as if she was on display. Not to mention the fact that Billy and Craig had only agreed she could come because Sam would be there to keep them safe. She reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone, checking to make sure she had plenty of battery and a strong signal. Keeping it in her hand, she focused on what Bea was saying.
“That’s the other reason I wanted you to come over tonight. I wanted you to be the first one to know, other than my parents of course. I’m so excited.” Bea’s face fairly glowed.
“What? I’m sorry, what did you say?”
Bea grinned. “It’s true. I’m pregnant. I’m having a baby!”
Kayley’s mouth flew open in surprise and shock. Bea was going to be a mom?
“Wow! Just, wow. I’m so happy for you!” She jumped up and hugged her friend. “This calls for a major celebration. As soon as I’m free to come and go as I please, we’re going shopping.”
“I knew you’d be just as excited as I was. I mean Sam and I have been trying for almost a year now. I was beginning to think it would never happen. Then bam! It does. Of course if you hear Sam tell it, he did all the work, and it’s we’re having a baby, not I’m having a baby.” Bea gushed on about how she was doing and her first doctor’s appointment that was scheduled for next week, right after Kayley’s court appearance.
“Of course you have to go with us. Someone has to hold Sam’s hand while I’m busy.” Bea squeezed Kayley’s hand as she spoke.
“You know I’m here for you all the way, Bea. I’m so excited. We’re going to have so much fun getting ready for it.” Kayley laughed, glad that she had something ahead of her to help take her mind off of everything once she ended up back at home again. Bea’s baby would be the perfect distraction.
Something jerked her around as Bea gushed about colors and themes for the nursery. Kayley listened closely but didn’t hear anything more. Bea hadn’t seemed to have heard anything. Maybe she was imagining things.
“What do you think? Zoo animals, jungle animals, or cute cuddly teddy bears?” Bea asked.
She looked over her shoulder, then turned back to Bea. “Did you hear something?”
Bea stilled and listened. “No. What did you hear?”
“I don’t know. I guess it was nothing. What were you saying?” she asked, still distracted.
“I was asking about different animal themes. What do you think would be cute but educational?” her friend asked.
“Um, colorful. We should look at whatever has the most colors to stimulate the baby.”
“Good point.” Bea had pulled a pad and pencil over and made notes. “I hadn’t thought of that. I was more focused on what wouldn’t be too scary. I just like animals though.”
A loud thump from the front of the house had them both pausing in mid motion. Unease spread through Kayley’s veins. That was definitely something, and Bea had heard it this time.
“It might be Sam,” she whispered. “But the fight isn’t over for another thirty minutes.”
“He would have called out if it was him, Bea. I don’t like this. Hide,” Kayley mouthed quietly.
“Where?” Bea’s face lost all color.
Kayley got up as quietly as she could and pulled Bea out of the chair, pushing her toward the pantry. If she could be sure Bea was okay, Kayley could distract whoever it was and lead them away from her friend. She fingered her cell phone where she’d shoved it in her jean’s pocket earlier.
Bea didn’t go easily into the pantry, but all it took was for Kayley to point at the woman’s still flat tummy to convince her to hide in the back of the pantry. Just as Kayley was heading for the back door, a figure stepped into the kitchen from the living room. It was all she could do not to scream as Joe smiled at her.
“Hey, honey. I think we have something to talk about.”
Chapter Sixteen
Kayley hesitated a second too long, giving Joe time to reach her before she could get the back door open. He grabbed her by the hair and jerked her away even as her hand closed around the doorknob. Stinging fire burned her scalp.
“No, you don’t, bitch! We have some unfinished business to discuss.” Joe dragged her away from the door.
“Stop!” she screamed, digging her nails into his hands, hoping to make him let go of her hair.
All she could think about was keeping him away from Bea. She prayed Bea would think of her baby and remain hidden. If the other woman decided to try and help Kayley, she would end up hurt, or worse—dead. Kayley wasn’t about to let that happen if she could help it. She made herself move one hand away from Joe’s to slip into her pocket where her cell phone was. She prayed she hit the right key to dial the sheriff’s office.
“No way I’m going to jail because of you. I didn’t even fuck you!” Joe yelled.
“You drugged me and tried to rape me. They’ll catch you if you kill me. They’ll know it was you or your friends,” she said, hoping someone had answered her call and could hear her talking.
“Those guys are out of the picture. They were going to tell the judge it was all my idea. I couldn’t have that. I took care of them.” He pulled her up against him, wrapping his arms around her, and pinning her arms to her side. “Just like I’m going to take care of you. After I have a little fun, that is. You owe me.”
“Y–you killed those men who were with you?” she asked in a loud voice.
“Shot them in the head and left them where we were hiding. After we have our fun, I’m heading to Mexico. They won’t catch me.” He chuckled then snarled in her face. “They never did before. You’re the problem. I take care of you, and I’m home free.”
Kayley began to shake all over as he laughed. When he shoved her against the wall and tried to kiss her, she turned her head in an effort to evade his mouth. His hot, fetid breath against her cheek and neck left her belly churning as she struggled to get away from him.
“Y–you’ve done this before?” She had to keep him talking. As long as he talked, he wasn’t hurting her, and maybe someone was listening on her phone.
“Oh, yeah. Lots of stupid women out there who are so desperate to get noticed that they fall for anything. They’re just asking for it,” he said.
“No, they’re not. You’re taking advantage of them, drugging them, and then raping them. They’re going to lock you up and throw away the key when they catch you, Joe.”
“They’ll never
catch me. Once I’m through with you, I’m out of here.” He leaned in once again to kiss her.
Kayley rammed her head into his nose as hard as she could. Pain exploded in her head, but the crack and yelp he gave made it worth it. He let go of her and grabbed at his nose as it gushed blood. She took advantage of the brief reprieve and pushed against him as hard as she could. When he stumbled back a step, Kayley ran toward the living room. All she could think about was getting him away from Bea.
“Come back here, bitch! You’re going to pay for that,” he bellowed.
She could hear him right behind her as she skirted the couch and headed for the front door. He slammed into her from behind, and they both went down on the floor. Her lungs emptied of air with a whoosh as he landed on her back. Caught between the hard floor and Joe, she couldn’t draw in a full breath.
Joe backed off of her slightly, then rolled her over and immediately dropped back on top of her. She could feel the bulge of his cock pressing into her belly. No matter how much she struggled, it wasn’t enough. Joe was too big and heavy for her to budge him. As long as she struggled though, he couldn’t control her enough to rape her. That would give whoever she’d called time to find her—she hoped.
“Be still, or I’m going to hurt you bad. Do you hear me?” He grabbed at her wrists to try and pin them.
Kayley kept them moving and away from him. Finally, he pinned her upper arms out beside her, but it left him with no way to do anything but stare down into her face. When he tried to kiss her again, she just turned her head so all he could get to was her cheek and neck. It frustrated him so much he screamed. Blood from his nose continued to drip on her as he yelled and tried to pull her arms up one at a time.
The sound of a door opening in the kitchen grabbed his attention. He started to climb off of her to see where the noise had come from, but Kayley grabbed at his legs to stop him. He tripped, falling face first back to the floor. She scrambled back on all fours, then heaved herself back to her feet and ran for the door again.
